


Angels With Whiskers

by CallieB



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - This World Inverted (Shadowhunters TV), Catboy!Magnus, Fluff, Homophobic Language, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 10:10:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15483432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallieB/pseuds/CallieB
Summary: Alec slides into place at Magnus Bane’s side, ignores the flicker of ears and surprised look he gets in return. He says: “Magnus Bane,” in his most seductive voice.Magnus is surprisingly shy for someone who sells his services on television. Nervous around Alec, his tail flicking from side to side, and seemingly anxious to get on with his day. Alec’s not going to push it, not if Magnus doesn’t want to talk to him, so he says goodbye with a wink, pretends not to see the way Magnus glances back at him when he walks away.Cute. Very cute. He likes it.Requested by the lovelyCryptidBanewho asked for something cute, fluffy and low-key with shy catboy Magnus.





	Angels With Whiskers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CryptidBane (Impetus)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impetus/gifts).



> Thank you so much [CryptidBane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CryptidBane/profile) for the prompt! I love the possibilities of This World Inverted, and I had so much fun with this story, so I hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> I am still taking prompts - for details about what I write, please see [this post](https://13callieb.tumblr.com/post/175621387463/sooo-money-is-tight-money-is-tight-for-everyone).

The first time Alec sees him after the Institute party, it’s totally by chance. He’s on his way home, texting Izzy, basically ignoring the cloudless sky above him, when he spots him across the street.

Magnus Bane. He’s seen the cheesy TV ads. He looks as tasty as he did the day of the Institute party, wearing a pale grey suit with his hair slicked back and his tail curled against his back. He’s striding quickly, so quickly that Alec has to break into a slight jog to keep up with him.

He slides into place at Magnus Bane’s side, ignores the flicker of ears and surprised look he gets in return. He says: “Magnus Bane,” in his most seductive voice.

Magnus is surprisingly shy for someone who sells his services on television. Nervous around Alec, his tail flicking from side to side, and seemingly anxious to get on with his day. Alec’s not going to push it, not if Magnus doesn’t want to talk to him, so he says goodbye with a wink, pretends not to see the way Magnus glances back at him when he walks away.

Cute. Very cute. He likes it.

The next time he sees Magnus, it’s on purpose. He’s seen another one of those ridiculous adverts on TV, and he can’t help himself.

It’s not really stalking. It’s just business. 

Of course it is. And if he happens to go round to Magnus’ apartment on a Friday evening, hoping that evening might slide into night… Well, that’s nobody’s business but his own.

Magnus seems even more surprised to see him than he was the last time. He’s wearing grey pants and a loose white shirt with the top button undone, showing a gleaming patch of bare skin. He looks young, rumpled, delicious. Alec slaps on his smile.

“I don’t do that anymore,” Magnus says cautiously, tail waving, when Alec tells him he’s here for a reading. His eyes flicker about, as though he’s preparing himself. “The ads are on a prepaid run.”

Alec says: “Do you want to go out for a drink, instead?”

Magnus lifts his chin, little pointed ears quivering. “ _ That’s  _ why you’re here,” he says, as though understanding is finally dawning. 

“Yes,” Alec says, feeling that there’s no point in denying it. 

“Oh,” Magnus says, and suddenly Alec realises that he’s  _ nervous _ , not annoyed or freaked out. “Well, I - I don’t know--”

But he lets Alec persuade him. They go out, down the street to a bar Magnus knows, and on the way they talk. Magnus curls his tail over his arm and tells Alec about being a psychic, about using his faint and limited powers to pluck cards from a deck and thoughts from his clients’ heads.

“It’s mostly about the show,” he says, a little regretfully, and Alec laughs.

“So is my job,” he says. Magnus grins, flashing his teeth, and the tip of his tail twitches on his forearm.

The first time they have sex, it’s three weeks after their first date, and Alec is desperate for Magnus. His cat-eyes gleam yellow as he tips his head back, scrabbling at Alec’s clothes, stripping off his own. His tail is wrapped around Alec’s waist, and he moans as Alec grasps the back of his neck, pulling him in for a tight kiss. Little flickers of magic dance on Magnus’ fingers, rippling against Alec’s skin like tiny electric shocks.

Afterwards, Alec lies with Magnus pulled up against his chest, idly stroking Magnus’ ears and hair. Magnus has his eyes closed, and his breath is a warm hum against Alec’s runed skin.

It’s nice, and Alec says so. Magnus doesn’t reply, just nestles closer, and Alec closes his eyes and thinks,  _ I could get used to this _ .

Magnus tells Alec about the portal when they’ve been dating about a month. It explains a lot - Jace and Clary acting so weird at the Mad Hatter party. Magnus’ magic has been getting stronger since then, going from the few wisps that used to allow him to run a psychic business to a fully fledged power. Alec loves it, loves to watch Magnus curling his hands around magical tendrils of smoke, coaxing them into the air.

Magnus is never more confident than when he’s using magic. It turns Alec on, like,  _ bigtime _ . 

Out loud, Alec wonders what the Magnus from the other dimension is like. Apparently, Clary - the other Clary - was expecting a magician with dramatic flair, or at least, that’s the impression Magnus got from her. Magnus may not be as powerful in this dimension - it still takes him a while to build up his magic to a point where he can use it - but he certainly has a flair for drama when the mood takes him.

“I don’t!” he exclaims, when Alec points this out. “You’re the drama queen around here.”

There’s some truth in that, although it’s not something Alec reflects on too much when they have their first fight. They’ve been together three months, three glorious months, and so far they’ve been completely easy, not an argument in sight. But up until now, Magnus hasn’t wanted to meet Alec’s parents.

He’s met Izzy, of course, and Simon, and Clary - this Clary - and Jace. They’ve spent time together, round at Simon and Izzy’s place, or out for dinner or the movies, or back at Magnus’ apartment. Magnus is an exceptionally good cook, and sometimes if he’s had a glass of wine he’ll get out his old tarot cards and give them readings.

It’s fun. It’s easy. But that’s completely different from meeting Alec’s parents.

“Alec, if my mother were still alive, I’d want you to meet her,” Magnus argues. “My parents weren’t exactly a picnic, either.”

“Oh my  _ God _ , don’t bring out that one,” Alec says. “It’s not the same. My mom is homophobic as hell, and also, like, a total bitch.”

Magnus raises an eyebrow. “I think I win on the bitchy parents thing--”

“Yeah, well, it’s easy for you to say you’d want to introduce me to your mom, you don’t actually have to do it--”

Magnus’ mouth droops. “You’re ashamed of me.”

“What? No!” Alec says. He sits down next to Magnus, putting an arm around him. “Magnus, no. It’s them I’m ashamed of.”

Magnus kisses him, and two weeks later they go out to dinner with Alec’s mom and dad. They’re on fine form, bickering and snarky with each other, and the whole thing is awful. But they’re together. Maryse only makes three comments about Alec dating someone unsuitable, which Magnus, surprisingly, just shakes off as though they were nothing, and Robert is basically spaced out the whole time, so it’s over and done with soon enough.

Afterwards, Alec - who lost his temper at his mom twice - asks Magnus how he managed to stay so calm. Magnus just laughs. “I don’t care what your mom thinks,” he says. He flexes his hand, reaches for Alec. “I just care what you think.”

“Well, I think you’re amazing,” Alec tells him firmly. Magnus smiles, wrapping his tail around Alec’s waist.

It’s been five months when they tell the others about the portal. They’re round at Izzy and Simon’s place, after an evening of tacos and television, and Magnus brings it up. He and Alec have been talking about it for a while now, because it feels dishonest and unpleasant not to tell them, because they’re friends. 

“That makes so much sense,” Jace says, and launches into some long story about how Clary was acting weird that day and he’d even thought she was cheating on him with  _ Magnus _ , of all people--

“Yeah, okay,” Alec interrupts, because Jace is his best friend, he is, and there was the longest time when Alec thought he was in love with him, but he sure as hell knows how to stretch out a boring story.

Clary is frowning, so Alec figures this isn’t the first time the whole cheating thing has come up. “I don’t even remember the Institute party,” she says thoughtfully.

“Well, that would make sense, since you were being possessed,” Alec points out. Magnus stifles a snort.

“Possessed?” Clary says, sounding slightly alarmed.

“Only by your alternate self,” Magnus assures her. “She came here to save her own dimension.”

Simon leans forward. “What was she like? The other Clary?”

Alec’s actually interested in this one too. Magnus looks thoughtful; his ears flicker. “She was harder,” he says. “She’s spent a long time fighting demons.”

“Demons?” Izzy says. “Demons went extinct years ago."

“Not in the other dimension,” Magnus says. “It’s a hard life. She was covered in runes.”

Alec shrugs. “I’m covered in runes.”

Magnus rolls his eyes. “Real runes,” he says. Alec pushes playfully at his shoulder. 

“You guys are so cute,” Izzy coos. Alec throws a cushion at her.

Alec realises he’s in love with Magnus when they’ve been together eight and a half months. There’s no particular thing that sparks the realisation; they’re just hanging out at Magnus’ apartment, and Magnus is washing up because he claims it helps clear his head, and Alec is settled into the couch because he doesn’t  _ do  _ washing up, and he just looks up and sees Magnus and--

_ I’m in love with you _ , he thinks. 

“Hey, Magnus,” he calls out, and then wonders if maybe he should be saying it in some romantic way.

Magnus turns around, his hands dripping with soapy water. “Yes?” he says.

Alec waits, in case sudden romantic inspiration strikes. It doesn’t. “Um,” he says, eloquently. “I love you.”

A slow, wide smile spreads across Magnus’ face. He sort of… preens, in a way that tells Alec he’s delighted but pretending not to be. He has this way of doing it that’s kind of cocky and shy and the same time, and it’s so cute that Alec feels his heart flip over. “Okay,” he says, in some sort of attempt at nonchalance.

Alec raises an eyebrow, and Magnus grins. “I love you too, Alexander.”

Alec’s heart pulses. “I’ve loved you for a while,” he says softly.

“So have I,” Magnus replies, still with that beautiful gentle smile on his face. And it’s not romantic, there’s nothing romantic about it, but it feels romantic as hell. 

He’s never really seen Magnus angry. Even their stupid arguments, rare as they are, just make Magnus sad and irritated, not angry. Alec definitely has more of a temper; Magnus laughs at it, calls him  _ dramatic _ .

So yes, Magnus is the calm one, and Alec loses his cool. Until one evening, just under a year in, when they’re walking home from a date and Alec is laughing and holding Magnus’ hand, swinging it between them, and the moon is nearly full in the sky above them. 

That’s when the call comes from the other side of the street. 

“Fags!”

Alec’s instinct is to keep walking, faster than before, but Magnus freezes almost immediately, his ears pricking up. Alec hisses: “Magnus, come on.”

“What did they say?” Magnus asks quietly.

“Magnus,” Alec says.

It’s two kids, neither of them older than twenty, and they saunter across the street, hands in pockets as if they don’t have a care in the world. Alec tugs fruitlessly at Magnus’s arm again. His tail is stiff in the air.

He turns towards the kids. “What did you say?”

One of them glances at the other, as if for confidence. “I said, you’re a fag,” he says, his voice high and nasal.

Magnus’ ears are flat against his head. “Say it again,” he says. His voice is low and dangerous.

“Magnus,” Alec says.

“Um,” the other kid, the one that hasn’t spoken yet, says. “Hey, Jared, let’s just--”

“You’re a fag!” the first kid interrupts loudly.

Magnus takes a step towards him. Just one step. It shouldn’t be intimidating, and it isn’t - or it wouldn’t be, if he weren’t also conjuring a palmful of flames. They’re flickering in his hands, illuminating his face.

Alec’s never seen him so furious. It’s kind of hot.

He lets the kids go with singed eyebrows and the fear of God in their hearts, and they walk home with Magnus’ ears still flat against the top of his head. Alec has to half jog to keep up; Magnus is still fuming.

“Magnus,” Alec says. “They’re just idiots. They’re just kids.”

“Kids,” Magnus spits. “Of all the--”

“It was kind of sexy when you made the fire,” Alec says, a small smile curling the corners of his mouth. He can see Magnus trying not to smile. “Hey, don’t let them get you down,” he says.

Magnus slows a little, his tail unbending. “I know it doesn’t matter,” he says. “But Alexander, I’ve dealt with this for many, many years. I spent centuries hiding who I am, because back then it would have got me killed. But now, I’m supposed to have the freedom to hold hands without repercussions.”

“And you do,” Alec says. He takes Magnus’ hand. “Magnus, you don’t have to hide anymore. You can hold hands with whoever you want. You can be whoever you want.”

Magnus kisses him, deep and passionate. “I love you,” he breathes. His tail has come up to curl around Alec’s waist. He leans back a little. “Move in with me.”

“What?” Alec says.

“Move in with me,” Magnus repeats. “I love you. Move in with me.”

Alec feels a leap of something exciting in his chest. “You really… really want to?”

“Yes,” Magnus says, sounding as certain as Alec’s ever heard him. 

It’s the day they move in together that it hits him. Jace and Izzy are carrying Alec’s couch, because, hello, he’s not living anywhere that doesn’t have his couch, and Simon is pretending that a box of Alec’s clothes is actually heavy, and Clary is doing her absolute best to avoid actually helping, and Magnus is being weird and bossy because that’s what he does with a project, and Alec just… sees it.

It’s not like he wasn’t happy before. He had a pretty good life, before Magnus stepped into it, crashing that Institute party with his cute nervous smile and flickering ears. But this… there’s something about this, about seeing Magnus directing his friends to the bits of the apartment they’re allowed to put Alec’s stuff in, about knowing Magnus when he’s happy and sad and angry and everything in between. Something different, something that goes past his pretty good life. 

Magnus is impossible, and shy, and strident. And Alec loves him. Maybe he’ll never really get what was going on, that day when the other Clary crashed into his life. He’ll never really know about the horrors of her world, the demons that she’s still fighting. He wasn’t there for most of it.

But looking across the apartment -  _ his  _ apartment - and catching his boyfriend’s eye--

He can’t help but be glad of it.


End file.
